Leyans Camp Fairlight

[Phodgetts]

Hi all, does anyone know where I might find info about the WW1 Leyans Camp at Shearbarn Farm, Fairlight? I have struggled to find anything written about it, though I have found the site of the camp and it is now a holiday camp with static caravans on it.

I have an old postcard from a family collection dated 3 August 1914 and Britain joined the war the very next day!

Philip

[forester]

Hello Philip,

There is no mention of it in "Sussex in the First World War" and it is not on the list  I have of camps in SE England.

I tried searching the East Sussex Record Office catalogue, but only got references to planning applications in the 1950's, presumably when the caravan park started up.

I can only think that it was a Territorial annual camp.
Is there anything else on the postcard that may help?
Does it relate to a Sussex family?

Phil

[Phodgetts]

The postcard is part of a family collection that belonged to my mother's father. Various folk from extended family knew of his collecting since he was small boy in the early 1900's and sent cards to him or past them on to him when they had served their purpose.

My Grandfather's  first love, Lotty Edith Hayes had a brother Marshall, and it is Marsh who is writing to Lotty. The Hayes family lived in Poplar. The family originated from Scarborough. I digress.

I attach the image of the card.

Marsh ended up being given a medical discharge from the army (? nothing else known) and he helped advise my Grandfather how to go about getting his own medical discharge from the RAMC. My Grandfather was gassed in WW1 and had chronic chest problems until he died of lung cancer in 1959. Didn't stop him smoking though 

Marshall on the census's;

1901   RG13; Piece: 1576; Folio: 79; Page: 16
1891   RG12; Piece: 328;   Folio 43;  Page 32

I haven't gone into much detail with this line of family because I am a Grandson from my Grandfather's third marriage. It is a very interesting nonetheless to learn something. I am also going down to Kent in May and hope to go see Fairlight and Hastings which seem to be places the Hayes frequented. They had other relatives there (referred to on the postcards) but who what why and exactly where is still to be be sorted out.

Hope this helps in some way. Perhaps it is opening a new chapter re Fairlight's history

Thank you

Philip

[jann]

Hi,

Is is possible that Leyans is a misspelling?  Are you sure it was a military camp?

There was a sanitarium in Fairlight at the time.  Is it possible Marsh was an orderly (or even a    patient )in the sanitarium?

"On orderly duty today" sounds like it wasn't a regular assignment.

Jann

[Phodgetts]

Hi,

Is is possible that Leyans is a misspelling?  Are you sure it was a military camp?

There was a sanitarium in Fairlight at the time.  Is it possible Marsh was an orderly (or even a    patient )in the sanitarium?

"On orderly duty today" sounds like it wasn't a regular assignment.

Jann

Anything is worth considering. It could be a mis-spelling. At one point I wondered if he was using Leyans as a short term for [Wes]leyans.  As for it being a military camp I really have no idea, I was going off his task as an orderly and cook for the day and the word camp to mean a military camp without really thinking about the possibility it could be something else. Britain joined the rest of Europe in World War 1 officially on the 3rd August 1914 which is the very same day the postcard is postmarked! That detail on its own led me to think of Leyans Camp as a military prep / training area in readiness for hostilities or perhaps a hospital for the anticipated wounded retuned to England.

Hence the need for some help in trying to decipher what these things mean.

Thank you so much for the input so far as I was getting worried it was not going to draw a response.
I might still not get an answer but it is nice to know that others are helping look into it. As I say I have tried the good old WWW but come up with zilch.

Marsh himself would have been 29 / 30 years of age in 1914. In 1911 he was working as a button trimmer for a tailor.

One last detail from the postcard collection is that Marsh had been to the Medical Board and discharged before 1918. No other details.

His full name was Marshall Henry Hayes.

Philip

[forester]

Philip,

I've got lost a bit.
Which Marshall sent the postcard....... Marshall Wilson (b 1862) or Marshall Henry?

If it was a Territorial summer camp, then the most likely are the Essex Regiment or the 17th Battalion (Poplar and Stepney Rifles), London Regiment, given their place of residence.

I see, from his medal index card, that Marshall Henry was in the 17th Bn until at least the beginning of 1917, before being medically discharged.

Phil

[Phodgetts]

Hi Phil, I am talking about Marshall Henry Hayes, that is his full name. I only just found that out when investigating the 1911 census.

Marshall Henry hayes sent the postcard to his sister Lotty from the camp at Fairlight.

Thanks

Philip

[OCrotaigh]

A friend of mine who lives near the camp recently acquired a 1914 postcard and wondered if anyone would be interested, as the people depicted may be family members. Of course it may be the same postcard! He sent me a scan (he is not a member of RootsChat but found your posting via a Google search) which I have attached herewith.

[hanes teulu]

1909 map
http://old-maps.co.uk/#/Map/583344/110325/12/101235

You can see Shear Barn Farm and Barley (not Barcley) Lane.

Note - you may need to use zoom (+ or -) to display old map.

NOTE - there's a rifle range to the south.